Improvement in invalid-bed attachments



B. D. BROWN. Invalid-Bed Attachment.4

Patented Dc. 11', 1877.

ATTORNEYS.

N.PETERS. PHOYO-LITHDGRAPMER. WASHINGTON, 03C, l

UNITED STATES r PATENT OEEIcE.

BURLINGTON D. BROWN, OF SHAMROOK, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN INVALID- BED ATTACHMENTS.` I

. Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,992, datedDecember `l1, 1877; application iiled August 1S, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURLINGTON D. BROWN, of Shamrock, in the county ofCalloway and State of Missouri, have invented a new and ImprovedInvalid-Bed, of which the following is a speciiication:

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation ofmy improved' invalid-bed attachment;` and Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this inventicnis to furnishfor hospitals and privatehouses an improved ap-4 apparatus being readily moved to any bed,

and not required to be attached or form a fixture of each bed. i l

The apparatus may be readily worked by one nurse, and the patientsposition changed as often as desired without being subjected to pain anddistress. The patient may, by this apparatus, be suspended above the beduntil the latter is made up again and cooled, and is also enabled toattendto the necessary evacnations.

Canvas is attached to side pieces stretched by end cross-pieces, andraised by a portable hoisting apparatus attached by hooks to cords oftheside pieces. A second stretched canvas extends across the head part ofthe main canvas, and is hinged to the side pieces of the main canvas,being raised by connection with the hoisting apparatus, eithersimultaneously with the main canvas, or without the same, as desired.

In the drawings, A represents a canvas of a size corresponding to thatof the invalids bed. The canvas is placed upon the bed and used as asheet, being removed from time to time for washing. The canvas A isapplied at both sides to strong side pieces c, that are inclosed incasings formed at both'sides of the canvas, so as to be readily detachedfrom the same. These tside pieces may be kept apart by stretching endpieces b, that are secured in suitable manner tothe ends of the sidepieces. Each side piece a has two staples, a', to which cords d, thatterminate as rings d', are attached.

At the upper part of the canvas A is arranged a second canvas, B, ofabout half the size of the main canvas, or less, which is attached toside pieces in the same manner as the main piece, the side pieces beinghinged Vby hooks c at the lower endsto staples c' of the side pieces ofthe canvas, and stretched by a cross-piece, f, connecting the upper endsof the hinged side pieces. rIhe hinged canvas B is also provided withstaples, to which cords g, having end rings, are applied.

A portable hoisting apparatus, that consists of an upright frame, O,placed on rollers, and of a top shaft, D, with pulleys and Windingcords,is moved astride the invalids bed, and attached by three hoisting-cords,D', and end hooks h to the side cords of the main and upper canvas. Byturning the 'top shaft by means of a crank-shaft belt-and-pulley con-ynection, the hoisting-cords are wound up on the rollers of the topshaft, and thereby the stretched canvas raised to any desired heightabove the bed.

A spring pawl-andratchet arrangement of the top shaft retains the canvasin suspended position as long as desired.

The side cords D wind up on smaller rollers than the middle cord, whichis connected to canvas B, so that the latter works quicker, and bringsthe patient at the same time with the raising of the main canvas intositting position. The invalid is either simply raised by the main canvasand hoisting apparatus or made to sit up by the hinged canvas, or raisedand `brought into a sitting position by the use of both canvases and thehoisting ap-y paratus, or the patient may be turned over to one side byhooking one of the hoisting-cords into the end rings ofthe cords uponthe opposite side of the canvas, and then turning the crank.

lllhe side hoisting-cords D pass over side pulleys z' of thehoisting-frame, and give thereby direction to the force employed, sothat the patient is turned gently to his side, being turned back vbyattaching the other hoistingcord to the cords at the opposite side ofthe canvas. When it becomes necessary to turn the patient over entirelythe stretcl'ling end pieces are removed, so that the canvas exerts auniform pressure on the body without hurting.

The same hoisting apparatus may be employed for one bed or for a numberof beds,

being readily moved from one bed to the other, as required. A

A hole' in the center of the canvas allows the patientv to evacuate, achamber being placed below the hole after the canvas has.,

been raised to sufcient height.

In this manner the most helpless invalidA may be manipulated in quickand comfortable manner by a single nurse only, and the apparatus used inconnection with the common beds, Without requiring extrainvalid-bedsteads of costlyv and complicated construction.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Pat` ent The combination of the stretched main canvas andhinged shorter canvas, both having suspension-cords, with the cords andwinding- BUnLNGToN D. BROWN.

Witnesses:

J. W. ARNOLD, J. SAM. LAIL.

